Ice-cutting machine



E. A. RULE.

ICE CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED'YMAR, 20. 1920.

1,351,131. Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 11 E. A. RULE. ICE CUTTING MACHINE.

Y-APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20, 1920.

1,351, 131. PatentedAug. 31,1920..

ZSHEETS-SHEET 2.

ETI-IAN A. RULE, or BURLINGTON, VERMONT, r. RULE, or oi-rennor'rn,

TGHOR OF ONE-HALF TO Q'ERIJEDNT.

RAYMOND ICE-CUTTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

Application filed March 20, 1920. Serial No. 367,346.

To all whom it may concern lie it known that I, ETHAN A. RULE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Burlington, in the county of Chittenden and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Ice-Cut ting li lachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

his invention relates to an improved ice cutting machine, and an object of the inven' tion is'the provision of a movable support including runners, and a saw carrying beam mounted on the support to swing in a vertical plane, and an engine movable on the support and connected to the shaft of the saw, whereby as the beam is lowered to permit the saw to engage and cut the ice, the engine is capable of moving forward and when the beam is raised, the engine will be turned to its normal position.

J rnother object resides in a machine of this character, which is capable of being cheaply made and sold at a reasonable profit.

it further object consists in the provision of a machine wherein guides are mounted upon the beam and engine support, and on which the engine skids slida-bly engage, there being resilient means between the engine base and an upright of the support, to restore the engine base to its normal position when the saw carrying beam is raised.

While the design and construction at present illustrated and set forth is deemed pref erable, it is obvious that as a result of a reduction of the invention to a more practical form for commercial purposes, the invention may be susceptible to changes, and the right to these changes is claimed, provided they are comprehended within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved ice cutting machine constructed in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view, 7

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view,

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through one side of the support for the engine base, showing the skids of the engine base engaging the guides of the support.

wvhich is engaged by a belt 10. A beam 11 comprises theside bars 12 pivotallymounted as at 13 by means of suitable bolts or the like to the side runners of'the support 1.

I The bars 12 are reinforced by the transverse brace 1e.

A steel frame 15 of any suitable construction, preferably such as shown is mounted upon the outer portions of the bars 12 of the beam 11. Carried by the steel frame 15 are bearingboxes 16 provided with oil cups 1'? and journale d in the bearing boxes is a shaft-18. One end of the shaft 18 carries a circular saw 19. The other end of the shaft carries a pulley 20, which is engaged by the belt 10, so that power may be transmitted to the shaft 18 by the engine.

Rising upwardly from the rear portions of the runners 2 of the support 1 are uprights 21, which are reinforced by the braces 22. A shaft or drum 23 is mounted in bearings of-the upper end of the uprights and one end of the shaft has a crank 2st and its other end a ratchet wheel 25. A spring pressed pawl 26 engages the teeth of the ratchet to prevent retrograde movement of the shaft. A cable27 has one end adapted to pass around about the shaft 23 and its other end connected to an eye 28 of the steel frame 15 at the outer end of the beam 11. It is obvious that by rotating the shaft 23, wind ing the cable or rope 27 upon the shaft, will act to raise the beam 11 and by means of the spring pressed pawl 26 the shaft 23 is prevented from retrograde movement, and the cable 27 is prevented from unwinding. Suitable eye bolts 29 engage through the uprights 21 and are provided. with nuts 30 to hold them in place. Heavy coil springs 31 are provided and which are attached to the eye bolts 29, and are in turn connected at 32 to the engine base. These springs are of suflicient tension to draw the engine base and the engine toward the uprights 21, when the beam 11 is raised. lVhen the beam 11' is permitted to lower, the weight thereof is sufficient to overcome the tension of the springs 31, whereby the cir: cular saw may engage and cut the ice. By providing the coil springs 31 to return the engine frame or carriage, the belt 10 connecting the pulleys 9 and 20 constantly remains taut, in order to insure the transmission of positive power to the saw carrying shaft 18. The circular saw, when lowered in engagement with the ice not only acts to cut the ice, but also assists in drawing the machine forward. 7

The invention having been set'forth, what is claimed as new and useful is 1. In an ice cutting machine, the combination with a supporting frame having guides, of a carriage thereon, power means mounted on the carriage, a beam mounted on the support for movement in a vertical plane and provided with an ice cutting mechanism, driving connections connecting the power means and the ice cutting mechanism, and means for returning the carriage to its normal position when the beam is raised.

2. In an ice cutting machine, the combination with a supporting frame provided with guides, of a beam mounted on the support to swing in a vertical plane and provided at its outer end with an ice cutting mechanism, and adapted to lower by gravitation,

' means for raising the beam, a carriage on the guides of the support and provided-with power means connected to the ice cutting mechanism, and means for returning the car riage to its normal position when the beam is raised. 7 r V 3. In an ice-cutting machine, a main supporting frame, a gravity actuated beam pivoted thereon to swing in a vertical plane and provided with an ice cutting device, means for raising the beam, a carriage carrying an engine mounted upon the main frame, means connecting the ice cutting device and the engine, and resilient means adapted to be overcome by the gravity of the beam when the beam islowered and put under tension by such lowering action, whereby when the beam is raised, the carriage will restore to its normalposition,

thereby maintaining the connecting means between the saw cutting device and the engine in proper operative condition.

4. In an ice cutting machine, a main portable supporting frame, a gravity actuated member mounted upon the main frame to swing in a vertical plane and carrying an ice cutting element, a carriage relatively slidable on and with respect to the main frame and carrying an engine, tensioning means for said carriage, means for raising the member against the force of gravity, whereby the resilient means may act to restore the carriage to initial position when the member is raised.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

E THAN A. RULE. 

